Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-02
MIR. CLEVELAND's COOK.
This Clever Frenchman Repudiate,
the Buckwheat Cake Scandal.

Ihis Clever FrenChman Repudiates
the Buckwheat Cake Scandal.
From the Phiiade1phfa Times.
Chef Perrin, In the subterranean dim.
ness and seclusion OF the kitchens of the
Executive Mansion, wearing the oonven.
tional cap Of his art, with the great iron
ranges red with blazing fires, and The
highly burnished copper utensils hanging
around on the walls like pieces OF armor.
looks more the armorer at work in the
arsenal OF an ancient castle than a chef
de cuisine.
Constant Perrin, who evolves the choice
dishes which come upon the table of the
President, enjoying his repast en- famille
or on occasions OF state dining. is a dap
per. nervous, active little Frenchman.
IN love with his art and his art evidently
IN love with him. He comes from line
Of noted chefs. His father, a famous res.
taurateur OF Metz, Lorraine. taught him
how to cook and sent him to Paris. His
triumphs there made the kitchens of
the Hotel du Rhiu and Cafe
Richie famous among the counois.
seurs OF the gay capital. Fourteen
years ago Delmonico had him In New
York, and from there the Manhattan
Club secured him; but with true
Frenchman's love for his native land he
got homesick, and soon went back to
France. He WAS sent for by the Brook
lyn Club about four years ago, where ne
has since been. He is at the White House
only for the season, and will return TO
Brooklyn when he gets through, leaving
the cuisine In charge of an ordinary fami-
ly cook.
Perrin, with the assistance of one woman
and three men cooks, has made the menus
OF the Presidents table and Mrs. Cleve-
lands luncheons celebrated during the
past season. He makes every thing
potages, hOrs deuvres, hot and cold
relieves, entries, entremets, pastry, candy
CONNECTIONS, water ices, ice cream, and
even the decorative chef d'9uvres of the
kItchen-everything but that pleblan,
though substantial and indispensable ar
ticle in the dietary of mankid at large,
called bread.
Ifpeople think that the President is
not sOciable In his official prison life in
the White House they do not know him.
He is warm-hearted and companionable
in his hours of leisure from the routine
drudgery of his high place. He is fond OF
mis- friends and has great deal OF COM
pany. AS a bachelor a friend or two at
dinner was a regular occurrence. to
which he now often adds tne friends OF
Mrs. Cleveland. The President is also
good liver. His greatest fondness is for
game in season.
Chef Perrin resented with an emphasis
which looked as if he might seize the
nearest skillet and bring it down upon
the offending pate when the buckwheat
cake scandal OF the Executive kitchen,
which went the rounds of the press in the
early days of the administration, was
mentioned.
"Me makee buckwheat cakes, pan
cakes de bic uoir. Never, sir, vile l am
here. LIE President never eat buckwheai
cake from me-" Then rising with a sort
of Marsellaise hymn enthusiasm: ~
see. That Dutch cook. Yes, yes. May
be he make buckwheat cake. France,
no. Germanee, yes"
The gastronOmic economy Of the Execu-
tive Mansion in the diurnal revolutions
of that portion OF the earth's surface over
which the President of the United States
governs represents three epochs: Bre ak
fast at 8 a. m, luncheon at 80 and DIN
ner at D. m. The chef who makes the
life OF President, alimentally speaking,
Joy, and thus may be benefactor, be.
gins the day with breakfast of three
dishes-fsh, steak, and eggs,
with coffee. He divides the day with a
luncheon OF cold meats and broiled small
feathered game in season. He makes
his triumph at the family dinner
oysters, raw; a soup, fish, an entree. per-
haps a sweetbread, a relieve, a roast and
perhaps pudding or a jelly. Dessert.
Since his marriage the President has
fingered longer at his meals, and enjoys
life in his domestic circle, even il The pre-
negatives and proprieties OF supreme rank
do debar him from many OF the little Joys
and diversions of his fellow mortals.